Charleston, South Carolina— South Carolina adds a new vodka to its name- FireFly, the state’s first official vodka and world’s only muscadine wine flavored vodka. The vodka, which launched in April 2006, has been rated 89 points by the Beverage Tasting Institute, outscoring Finlandia, Ketel One, Absolut and Fris.  FireFly is now available for sale at more than 80 liquor stores across the state and several restaurants in Charleston.  

The idea of the vodka came from Scott Newitt of Coastal Wine. “FireFly falls into the premium vodka category, and it will soon become one of the most fashionable and popular spirits in South Carolina,” says Newitt.

Firefly is born on Wadmalaw Island. The grapes are grown, hand harvested, and made into wine. The wine is then sent to the distillery in Lake Alfred, Florida, and a small amount is infused with the best five times distilled vodka, the finest vodka. The infusion of the wine with the vodka makes the customary heat associated with vodka fly away, and it is also the secret behind FireFly’s original taste and smoothness of the spirit.  The infusion makes the “FIRE—FLY” away and creates a truly “Southern Flavored Sipping Vodka.” 

“We’re honored to be introducing another South Carolinian product,” says Jim Irvin, “The launch of FireFly is a another “first” for not only the Lowcountry, but for the entire state.”

As the region’s first vodka, Newitt and Irvin, hope to establish and expand FireFly as the vodka of the Southeast, and more importantly, help South Carolina’s beverage industry grow, producing more South Carolinia products that will not only be enjoyed by locals, but by others in other parts of the Southeastern region as well.

Local artist Kevin Curran designed FireFly’s logo. Curran’s inspiration for the logo came from his own childhood memories of catching fireflies. The logo’s dark blue background with the palmetto moon was inspired by Lowcountry nights on the coastal waterways.  Alum of the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Curran paints portraits and landscapes, as well as runs a graphic design and illustration studio in Charleston. He owns Curran Gallery on 12 Exchange Street in the historic district. For more information on Curran, visit www.currangallery.com.

Vodka’s history spans centuries. The origins of this liquor date back to the eighth century in Russia; it made its way through Europe centuries before it was introduced to the West by a Russian immigrant by the name of Smirnoff in the mid 20th century.  But, vodka was very unpopular until a South Carolina salesman developed a marketing strategy to promote the Smirnoff Vodka as a no taste, no smell liquor in the 1940s. Today, U.S. vodka remains without taste or smell. But, vodka has become, the number one liquor in the country.

Firefly Vodka is a muscadine wine flavored vodka made with five times distilled vodka, the finest vodka, and is now available for sale. Retail value is as follows: 7.50 liter-$16.99; 1 Liter: $19.99; 1.75 liter: $25.99.

Firefly Vodka’s headquarters is located at 6775 Bear Bluff Road on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina, located on the outskirts of the historic city of Charleston. The vodka is produced and bottled for Firefly Distillery LLC by Firefly Distillery in Lake Alfred, Florida. For more information, please visit www.fireflyvodka.com.

Contact: Vladia Jurcova/Sherrie Bakshi
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